Which French government ministry was formerly housed in the Louvre's Richelieu wing?

The Ministry of Finance was formerly housed in the Louvre’s Richelieu wing.

The ministry occupied the Louvre’s northern Richelieu wing for roughly 110 years, beginning in the late 19th century. Its offices meant that the Louvre Palace was not devoted entirely to museum use, even though the museum’s collections continued to expand throughout the building.

François Mitterrand’s Grand Louvre project sought to return the whole palace to the museum. As part of that plan, the Ministry of Finance moved to a purpose-built complex in the Bercy area of Paris. The transfer freed the Richelieu wing for galleries, offices, conservation facilities, and visitor spaces.

The renovated wing opened to the public in 1993. A common mix-up is to identify the former occupant as the Ministry of Culture, since that ministry is closely associated with France’s museums; the Richelieu offices, however, belonged to the Finance Ministry.